Storm Warning
by Incubabe
Summary: FINAL CHAPTER UPDATED - COMPLETE! Clark saves a girl's life and seven months later, she's back to thank him. But is there more to her than meets the eye?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer – Nothing belongs to me aside from the plot and Ashley. All else is someone else's…

Author's Note – I haven't really set this in any particular season of Smallville. I think it's just a stand-alone piece; possibly AU, I haven't really decided yet! Just enjoy…

Prologue

The weather had remained unchanged for days, the blue cloudless skies and blazing sun were welcomed for a while but now, people were starting to pray for rain. It was a seemingly endless summer but the local land was starting to suffer, burning despite the inbuilt sprinkler systems on most farms. Ashley had escaped her father's farm for the afternoon and driven her art supplies with her out to the empty field along the main road. She loved the view of the town from there and had painted it a million times or more but it was still her favourite scene. She had almost completed her painting when she saw an unusual flash in the sky over the town; she frowned and looked up but saw nothing. A few clouds had started to gather but they were cotton wool white, not the dark grey that usually accompanied lightning, she had assumed that was what the flash was. She shrugged it off as her imagination and began putting the finishing touches to her newest masterpiece. A few minutes later, she saw another flash high above the town and rather than wonder about the weird weather, she started to pack her supplies into her rucksack. She was just about to pick up her painting when she saw the first fork of lightning flash through the pale blue sky.

Heat lightning, her father had told her about it when she was younger but it usually happened on hot, sultry nights. The lightning bolts were silent because of the high temperatures and the distance of the observer from the storm itself. She smiled, she had never thought they would have heat lightning here; it was usually confined to more urban areas. She grabbed her bag and turned to leave but there was a loud crack; the ground before her was smoking and burnt. She instinctively put her hand to her heart, as if checking it was still beating. Had she really just escaped being hit by lightning? Why was there not thunder if the storm was moving closer? She stared at the burnt patch of grass and began to frown, kneeling down she moved aside the browned blades to find glowing grains of what looked like broken rocks. Except that they were green. She picked one up and inspected it more closely; it looked exactly like meteor rock but they didn't glow like this.

Ashley began to walk towards the road where she had left the car, still examining the strange glowing rock. She heard a distant rumble and looked up, expecting another flash of lightning but instead seeing an old red truck trundling up the road. She shook her head, berating herself for believing a storm could appear from nowhere when suddenly, searing pain filled her body, coursing through her veins and into her bones. Her reflexes went into overdrive and her hands formed fists to the pain; her knuckles white with the tension, she crushed the glowing rock she had been holding. She dropped the shattered pieces to the ground and stumbled forward, dropping her bag and painting as she fell flat, releasing a scream of sheer panic and agony.

Clark slammed on the brakes of the truck and jumped out, rushing across the field to where he had seen the blonde girl fall. He was sure he had seen a white flash directly above her but it was impossible, it was too clear for a storm. He stopped at her body; she looked burned and her fingertips were blackened; he rolled her over and took her into his arms. He had to get her to the hospital; she was badly hurt and moaning softly in pain.

"Please," she whispered, the skin around her mouth cracking with the movement and tears flooding her eyes with the sting of it. "Help me," Clark was about to reply when she passed out. Hoping she would stay that way, Clark looked around to check they were alone and began to run…


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

_Seven months later…_

Clark took a bite of the apple in his hand and looked over at Chloe, she was just coming to the end of his background research for their geography project and she had _that_ look on her face. It was the same look she had whenever he handed in an article for the Torch; he thought of it as her 'teacher' look, marking his work in her head as she read. He ignored her and finished off his apple in a few large bites before abandoning the core to the forgotten lunch tray; he hadn't even been hungry. He wished Pete was with them, he wished anyone was sitting with them, there was nothing worse than just sitting there with Chloe while she appraised you in her mind. He sighed and took a sip of orange juice as she closed the folder over and placed it on the table; she smiled widely at him and stole a sip of his orange juice.

"I'm stunned, Clark," she sighed. "I can't believe how much work you did, I feel really guilty now. It's all so good too," She groaned and dropped her head onto the table. "I feel like such an idiot,"

"Chloe, don't be stupid. We can work on it some more tonight if you want, you can show me what you've got," he smiled; Chloe looked up at him from her position on the cafeteria table and sighed again. "You have started, right?" She frowned and closed her eyes, wishing she could disappear from Clark's attentive gaze; not something she thought she would ever feel. "Chloe, the whole project is due in a couple of days,"

"I know, I know but I got this tiny story with the Daily Planet and I only just finished it yesterday and I feel so guilty but I had to get it out of the way," she rambled, picking up Clark's folder and waving it in the air. "But I can be there tonight, we can get started and it will all be fine. I promise, you won't have to do anything else, I'll finish everything off and it'll be done," She knew she was rambling on and that Clark had probably tuned out every word but she felt bad and she was trying to make it up to him.

"Its fine, Chloe, don't worry about it," said Clark, checking his watch. "Look, I've got a class in a few minutes but come over tonight, we'll sort something out," Chloe beamed her thanks at him and he couldn't help but smile back, he didn't really mind that she hadn't done any work. He knew how important that story would have been, no matter how 'tiny' it was, and he was happy for her, happy that she was getting the notice she deserved. He waved his goodbye and left her sitting in the cafeteria, still feeling guilty but knowing that Clark had already forgiven her. It was his one vice, he couldn't hold a grudge.

"Excuse me," said a tiny voice from behind Chloe, she stood and turned around to face a blonde haired girl with a huge art folder clasped to her chest. Chloe frowned, there was something familiar about the girl but she couldn't put her finger on it. "Was that Clark Kent?" She pointed to the door through which Clark had just made his exit, Chloe turned to look and nodded.

"Yeah, it was. Are you looking for him? I can give him a message if you like," said Chloe, she would inevitably catch up with Clark before this stranger.

"No, it's okay. I'm sure I'll see him around," she said and wandered off. Chloe watched her leave, still racking her brains for any memory of the girl. She was strangely attractive and the strange scar peeking out from beneath her fringe made her even more fascinating; Chloe immediately thought of Harry Potter and began to laugh to herself, grabbing her bag and heading for class.

Clark sat in the loft of the barn with his papers spread out across the desk; he didn't know why he was so worried about this project. It was only geography and he was sure it didn't matter all that much whether they passed or failed. He knew Chloe had been welcome for the excuse to spend some time with him, he had been taken up with Lana lately and Chloe was beginning to feel ostracised again. He gathered all the papers together and glanced out of the window, wondering if Chloe was ever going to show up, it was almost ten o'clock. When he said 'come over tonight', he hadn't meant the middle of it. He was about to switch the lights off and head back into the house when he heard the barn door creak open and Chloe came running up the stairs with her bag on her back and a million papers in her hand.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Clark," she smiled. "I got all caught up in this thing and… It doesn't matter, I'm here now," Clark sighed and sat down on the sofa, Chloe perched herself on the edge of the coffee table and produced a photograph of a blonde girl wrapped in bandages and lying in a hospital bed from the papers in her arms. "Recognise her?" Clark took the photograph and stared at it intensely before shaking his head and handing it back. "That is Ashley Robbins; you saved her life last August. She got hit by lightning on the hottest day of the year,"

"Yeah, I remember her. She passed out when I got to her and she hasn't woken up since," said Clark, nodding at the memory.

"She hasn't woken up until now; she cornered me in the cafeteria today. She was asking about you and said she'd catch up with you later," said Chloe, finally letting go of everything in her arms and piling it on the coffee table. "Have you seen her anywhere?"

"No," said Clark. "Is this what you've been 'caught up' in because she probably just wants to say thanks, Chloe. We need to get this project sorted out and you've been really distant lately," He hadn't meant to say anything out loud but his throwaway remark obviously hit a nerve as Chloe went silent and looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that,"

"No, you're right. I have been caught up with the Torch and the Planet lately but you were spending so much time with Lana, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get some work done," she sighed, Clark was about to reply but she hadn't finished. "Not that you are an _unwelcome_ distraction, Mr Kent," He smiled and gently squeezed her knee, Chloe smiled and that was that. They had argued and made up all within the space of two minutes, that may have been their record.

"Okay, let's get this work stuff out of the way and then we can talk about your Daily Planet story," he said and Chloe nodded. It sounded perfect.

Ashley stood in the shadows beneath the Kent's barn looking up at the lights in the open window. She felt a little lost, so much had changed in the seven months she had been sleeping, she thought that Clark Kent was dating Lana Lang but it didn't appear that way anymore. She wondered if Chloe was his new girlfriend or if they were just good friends as they had always been. She didn't know why she was even bothering, there was no way Clark would ever notice her, not now she was scarred and ugly. She only wanted to thank him but there was something else about him that called to her, she wanted to get to know him properly. She wanted to tell him what she had dreamt in her seven month sleep and how she had felt when he took her into his arms and rescued her. She was certain that without Clark; she would have died in the middle of that field surrounded by paper and her paints. She looked up at the lights again and hearing Chloe's laugh, closed her eyes tightly and started to walk away.

Somewhere on the horizon, there was a rumble of thunder…


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"So, are you doing anything interesting this weekend, Clark?" asked Martha, pouring out another glass of orange juice and handing it to her son. He took a mouthful before putting it down on the table and shrugging, filling his mouth with her home-made breakfast pancakes. "Are you seeing Chloe again?"

"Martha, leave the boy alone," scolded Jonathon, sipping at his coffee. It was still too hot to drink and he wondered why he bothered. She glanced at him and smiled; Clark ignored both of them and continued to eat his breakfast in silence. "Did you manage to fix the fences this morning?"

"Yep," smiled Clark. "I don't know where that storm came from though, we weren't forecast it, were we?" Martha shook her head, it had rained hard and long all night and come morning, half of the Kent Farm's fences had been torn down by the wind. "I'm outta here anyway; I'll be back later,"

"Are you home for dinner this time?" protested Martha, Clark simply shrugged and waltzed out of the back door. "I don't know if he's coming or going lately," Jonathon laughed and finally managed a mouthful of his coffee.

Clark had grabbed his jacket from the barn to fend off the icy winds that were still blowing; he wasn't cold but he knew it would look strange to not wear it. As he ran down the wooden staircase, he heard a voice call his name and was shocked to see that it wasn't Lana standing at the bottom of the stairs but a pale, blonde girl who he hadn't seen in seven months. She smiled as she saw him but seemed embarrassed to be there, Clark assumed she was insecure at the prospect of just showing up on his doorstep.

"Ashley, right?" he said, smiling broadly and hoping to make her feel a little more at ease. "Chloe told me you were out of hospital, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I'm sorry for just coming over but I wanted to say thank you for saving me that day," smiled Ashley. "I think I would've died in that field if you hadn't got me to hospital. Anyway, I was wondering, can I buy you a cup of coffee to say thanks?" Clark put his jacket on in silence, he didn't know anything about this girl but he supposed a cup of coffee in the crowded Talon wasn't going to be a big deal.

"Yeah, that'd be great. I was heading out to the Talon anyway," he said, Ashley nodded and began to walk out of the barn with Clark at her side.

Clark and Ashley sat in the window talking and sipping coffee. Clark didn't really know why he had never spoken to her before as they had a lot in common, especially as they were both farm kids. He found himself telling her about his forays into journalism with the Torch and how thrilling it was to see his name on the front page, she told him about her love affair with painting and how she had almost failed a school year for painting more than studying. Clark was having such an interesting talk with Ashley that he didn't even notice when Chloe and Pete walked in. They got their drinks and headed towards the table, Ashley spied them from the corner of her eye and immediately halted her conversation with Clark, smiling at him and then looking up at his friends as they pulled up chairs.

"Hope we're not interrupting anything," grinned Pete, Ashley smiled at him and shook his head. "We haven't seen you out and about in a while, Ashley. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good, it was hard getting used to walking again but it's fine now," she smiled. "It's a bit weird to find out nothing's changed in seven months though,"

"Yeah, that is the depression of Smallville," laughed Chloe, Ashley nodded and joined in. "So, what about school and stuff? Are they making you re-sit the year or have they worked something out for you?"

"I'm trying to catch up at the moment; I don't really want to stay behind a year. It's hard work but as long as I pass the finals, I'm good to go," said Ashley. Clark watched her in amazement, she had seemed so unsure of herself in the barn earlier but now, here she was, laughing and joking with his friends as if they had known each other for years. It was comfortable and it was easy and it was a totally unexpected feeling. He glanced out of the window at the skies; the grey clouds were being blown away by the strong winds and the sun was beginning to shine. Maybe it was going to be a nice day after all.

"Has anyone seen Lana today? I thought she was working this morning," asked Chloe, looking around the room for their missing friend.

"No, I haven't seen her since yesterday," said Clark absent-mindedly, still staring out of the window. "I think she mentioned having a later shift today so she could do her project," Chloe flushed at the mention of the project, she still felt guilty for not doing her share but it was too late now. Ashley watched Chloe get flustered and suddenly felt terrible, she had been having so much fun with Clark that morning, she had forgotten the laughter of the night before. The laughter he had shared with Chloe and not her. She found herself idly touching the scar on her forehead, she knew it was hidden beneath her fringe but she wondered if Clark had seen it. Maybe he had only accepted a cup of coffee because he felt sorry for her; because he felt that she deserved it after everything she had been through. Without thinking, she stood up quickly and knocked her half-filled cup over, spilling coffee over the table.

"Oh God, I'm sorry," she muttered, clearing it up with tissues before running out of the Talon. Chloe and Pete watched with confused frowns as Clark stood up, excused himself and ran out after her. She was already half-way down the street but he called her name anyway, she ignored him and kept on walking. Clark began to run, oblivious of the raindrops as they began to fall faster and faster. Eventually, Ashley stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Ashley, what's wrong? Why were you running away from me?" he asked, her face was wet with the teardrops and raindrops mingling on her cheek. She sniffed and wiped her face with the sleeve of her jumper.

"I'm sorry, Clark. It was a stupid idea," she said, shaking her head as she spoke. "You didn't have to come out with me, I just thought it would be nice," Clark frowned and took her hand gently.

"Ashley, I thought we were having a good time. It was nice," he said soothingly. "What's wrong?" Ashley stared up at him and apologised again before running off, Clark watched her go with a look of concern and confusion etched on his face. He turned around and headed back to the Talon to rejoin Pete and Chloe.

"What was that all about?" asked Chloe as Clark sat down, his hair dripping water down his face.

"I don't know but I think the storm's picking up again," he said, looking out of the window at the darkening sky. "Do you think she was just upset about the coma and everything? She's only been out of the house for a couple of days; maybe it was all too much for her to be with people and stuff,"

"I don't know, Ashley's never really been one to upset easily," said Pete. "I remember her being quite tough,"

"People change, Pete," said Chloe, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I'm sure she'll be okay, she's got a lot of adjusting to do, that's all. Don't worry, Clark, I'm sure it was nothing you said," Clark nodded and finished off the rest of his coffee, despite it being lukewarm. "Right then, what shall we do for the rest of the day, we can't hang around in here,"

"I can't really do much, I still haven't finished the project," said Pete, Chloe laughed a little louder than she meant to. "Shut up, Sullivan. I know Clark did most of yours," She turned to face Clark who attempted to look as innocent as possible but failed miserably.

"Fine, Mr Snitch. Do you want to go into Metropolis with me? We could do a bit of shopping or something; you said you needed some new school supplies,"

"Yeah but I don't need to go to Metropolis to buy a new pen, Chloe," laughed Clark.

"Fine, you are both so boring," she sighed, Clark smiled and gave in immediately.

"Okay, okay, I'll come to Metropolis with you. Anything to stop you pouting like a baby," he laughed, Chloe slapped him lightly across the top of his arm and stood up, swinging her jacket on. "Right now?"

"I want to get going, Metropolis is a long drive for my little car," she grinned, Clark sighed and put his jacket on. "See you later, Pete. If you see Lana, tell her to call me tonight," Pete nodded and waved the two of them off from his seat.

It was almost eight o'clock when Clark opened the back door and stepped into the kitchen, both of his parents stood waiting for him under the pretence of making a cup of coffee. Clark wondered how long they had been waiting for him to return home. He could feel a lecture coming on already and he wondered if he said sorry now, would it save him the ear-bashing.

"I'm really sorry, Mom," he started. "Chloe wanted to go to Metropolis and once we were there, she just kept shopping for hours. I don't know how she did it," Martha just nodded and continued to make her cup of coffee and talk to Jonathon. "Are you mad at me for being late?"

"Clark, it's a Saturday night. I knew you'd be with Chloe so I wasn't worried about you," she said with a smile. "Besides, I like you spending time with Chloe; she's a nice girl,"

"Martha, stop it," warned Jonathon, he turned to face Clark. "It would've been nice to have a phone-call but it's too late now,"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be out this late," he smiled at his mother. "I don't suppose you saved me any dinner, did you?" Martha smiled and nodded, grabbing a plate from the fridge and putting it into the microwave. "Thanks, Mom,"

After he had eaten his warmed dinner, Clark headed up to the barn. He was a little tired and knew he could have easily slept but something was keeping him awake and he knew exactly what that something was. He reached the top step of the old wooden staircase and stopped, Ashley was sitting on his sofa with a rolled up tube in her hand. She stood up the second he came into sight, she was still soaked through from the day of rain and Clark wondered if she had even gone home.

"I just wanted to say sorry for this morning, I was just really overwhelmed and I needed to be on my own," she explained, Clark didn't know how much of her confession was genuine and how much was an excuse but he accepted it none-the-less.

"Don't be stupid, you didn't have to apologise," he smiled; she stepped forward and handed him the paper tube. "What's this?" He began to unroll it.

"It's the painting I did on the day you rescued me. I don't really want it anymore and I wanted to give you something a little more than a cup of coffee," she smiled as he pulled it open and smiled at the picture. It was stunning and he could barely believe that it was painted, it looked like a photograph. "Do you like it?"

"Ashley, it's beautiful, thank you," he said, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. She drew back quickly and walked to the window. "At least the rain's stopping; I can head home without being soaked through,"

"You can stay for a little while if you like," said Clark without thinking. He didn't really know why he wanted Ashley to stay longer but he did want to get to know her a little better, something about her intrigued him. "We had such a good talk this morning; it'd be a shame to end it there,"

Ashley smiled and nodded, sitting back down on Clark's sofa and totally forgetting about Chloe, Lana and her scars.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Ashley stared at herself in the bathroom mirror; she was still the same girl she had always been. There was nothing hugely different about her, aside from the paleness of her skin which was finally starting to look healthy again. She ran the brush through her hair quickly, letting her hair fall a little more naturally and making sure her long fringe was covering her scar. She reached up and touched it briefly; it was not as red and angry as it had once been but it still made her uncomfortable. She didn't want to have to think about that day ever again, she didn't want to have to see any reminders either. She sighed and wondered if it would ever disappear completely, leave her with a faint silvery line running down her forehead that looked pretty rather than ugly. There was nothing else she could do about it now, she smoothed down her skirt and left the bathroom, heading down the stairs to meet Clark. She didn't want to leave him with her father for too long, nobody should have to endure the supposedly innocent questioning of a girlfriend's father. Clark stood up from his seat on the sofa the second he saw her, she looked stunning and he felt so lucky to have found a girl that made him feel so uncomplicated.

"Bye Dad," said Ashley as she grabbed Clark's hand and pulled him out of the farm. Silently, hand in hand, they started walking across the fields, Ashley wanted to show Clark her secret garden and he was happy to do whatever she wanted. They had the beginnings of a perfect relationship, Ashley made Clark feel normal and Clark made Ashley feel accepted, it was as though fate had thrown them together, knowing it would work itself out.

They sat down on the grass verge that led on to Ashley's garden; flowers of every size and colour jostled for space in the soil and Clark listened intently as she told him about each of them and how she had begun planting them when she was nine years old. After the conversation had died away, they lay in the blazing sunshine for what felt like hours, soaking up the heat, the beauty of the day and the ease of each other's company in comfortable silence.

"Have you called your friends since you woke up?" said Clark finally, leaning back a little to get a better view of her. "They must be pleased you're back," Ashley shook her head and gazed at Clark.

"I haven't called them," she admitted. "I don't even know why, I think I just want to get away from my past. I don't want to go backwards, I mean, I've only been out in the real world for just over a week but things are so good, I feel like I'm moving on," She laughed softly to herself, brushing a fly from her bare leg. "I think it's because of you,"

"Me?" asked Clark incredulously, sitting up straight and looking deep into her eyes. "I didn't do anything,"

"Clark, you saved my life. Not only that but you didn't pass me off as a freak when I got back, you ignored my scars and made me feel special for all the right reasons," She could feel herself turning red with the embarrassment of admitting her deepest thoughts to Clark but a part of her didn't care. It was all true and she wanted him to know.

"You are special," he smiled, moving in closer and stroking down her arm gently. "And I don't ignore your scars; they're just a part of you that I love. You think they make you ugly but they don't, you are so beautiful," She smiled silently, letting Clark's every word wash over her, he leaned forward slowly, making sure it was the right moment. His lips pressed against hers so tentatively at first but they soon gathered passion, Ashley entangled her hands in his hair, pulling and grabbing while he moved his own down her body to her waist, pulling her so close that she was practically sitting on his knee.

She loved kissing Clark; it was everything she had ever dreamt it would be. She loved being in his arms, he made her feel sage and while she knew it was an after-effect of their first meeting, it didn't matter. She was caught up in a haze, she still couldn't believe that things had worked out; she never thought that he could feel anything but pity for her. If she was honest with herself, she still felt ugly in comparison to Lana but when she wasn't there, when her and Clark were alone, he made her feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. Ashley could have happily spent all day in the garden, lying in Clark's arms and kissing him for what felt like an eternity but he was due to meet Chloe at the Talon to go over his article on the basketball team before they went to print. Clark asked Ashley if she wanted to come with him and so they walked into town, hand in hand. Clark was oblivious to the sideways glances and lazy looks they were getting but Ashley was used to the gossip and small-town mentality of the Smallville population. They whispered about the girl who was struck by lightning and the fact that the boy who saved her was now her boyfriend. She didn't care what they said anymore, if they thought Clark was with her out of pity then more fool them.

"Hey guys," smiled Chloe as they entered the coffee shop, Ashley sat down with her while Clark went to order their drinks. "What have you two been up to today? You're looking a little rosy-cheeked," Ashley giggled girlishly.

"Chloe, he's amazing," she sighed. "He's so soft and tender but then he's just so rough and passionate. It's like there's two sides to him," Chloe smiled as Ashley touched her slightly swollen lips. "And they both know how to kiss," Chloe laughed out loud, drawing the glances of the other café patrons. Clark looked over as she attempted to stifle her giggles but it was too late. He walked to the table, flanked by the waitress carrying a tray of coffees.

"What's so funny?" he asked, smiling his thanks to the departing waitress, Ashley smiled at him and squeezed his knee under the table. Chloe shook her head definitely and he smiled broadly. "Fine, what did you want to talk about?"

"Your article is perfect but I'm moving it to page four," said Chloe, sipping her coffee calmly. Clark moved to protest but Chloe interrupted him. "I know the front page was yours this week but something's come up and I need it,"

"Well, what's so big that I get stuck on page four?"

"It's still a little sketchy but I've got another week to work on it, you'll see," she said enigmatically. "Don't worry, you can have the front page next time, I promise,"

"As long as it's not an exposé on the cafeteria," sighed Clark.

The three of them sat laughing and talking and drinking endless amounts of coffee for the rest of the afternoon. Shortly before four o'clock, Lana walked in and seeing the gang, joined them immediately. She had been so busy lately that she hadn't even met Clark's new friend. Everyone looked up as she pulled up a chair and joined them.

"Hey Lana," said Clark. "Where have you been hiding?"

"Here, mostly," she sighed. "Or with my nose stuck in a book, I don't even know how I got so far behind. I've just been doing so many shifts here and meeting with Lex," She trailed off, there were no more excuses. She had been too busy to make time for her friends and admitting that felt awkward, especially with the stranger at their table. "I'm so sorry, I'm Lana," She offered her hand out across the table.

"I know," smiled Ashley, shaking Lana's hand briefly. "I'm Ashley," There was an awkward silence as the two sized each other up, Lana felt rude for looking at her, she knew Ashley's story and knew it was only human nature to be curious but it wasn't in Lana to be so blatantly rude as to stare at Ashley's scars. "I'm sorry, I should really get going. My Dad will be worried about me; it's a nasty side-effect of knowing exactly where to find me for the last six months,"

"Do you want me to walk you home?" asked Clark as Ashley stood up. She shook her head quickly and leaned down, kissing Clark full on the mouth and not caring what people thought. She was marking her territory and although she felt a little silly, she also felt like it was necessary, she needed to let Lana know that Clark was hers now. Clark watched her leave the Talon with a dazed look before turning to face Lana and Chloe's questioning looks. "What? She was just saying goodbye,"

"I don't use my tongue to say goodbye," laughed Chloe. "What is it with you two? You haven't spent one day apart since she came back to school, you're all over each other like a rash. I don't get it,"

"I think it's sweet," offered Lana. "She obviously cares about you a lot, you look good together,"

"Thanks Lana," said Clark. "She's great and we have so much in common. I like spending time with her, something that Chloe can't seem to understand. You thought she was some psycho or something," Chloe pulled a face at Clark's lecture and stuck her tongue out at him.

"So, is she like your girlfriend now?" asked Lana innocently.

"Well, we haven't really discussed it. I mean, I guess so, I don't know," Clark seemed quite uncomfortable with the question which immediately answered it for Chloe. He really liked this girl; he just didn't want to admit that fact in front of Lana.


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

It was only after his mother had mentioned Lana's name that Clark realised that it had been over a week since their meeting at the Talon; all of his spare time had been spent at the Torch trying to break Chloe's secret story or spending time with Ashley and he immediately felt guilty. With a quick kiss on the cheek, Clark had said goodbye to Martha and headed out into town so he could catch Lana at the Talon. Sticking to the fields, he arrived in seconds and hoped that Lana wouldn't be too angry with him for being so absent lately. He walked into the coffee shop and headed for the counter where Lana was just putting the last half of an apple pie into the fridge. She turned to face him and immediately burst into a huge smile.

"Hi Clark," she said. "I was just thinking about you,"

"Good things, I hope," he smiled and she laughed softly. "Look, Lana, before you say anything I just wanted to say sorry for not being around this week. I feel like I've been ignoring you and I never meant for that to happen,"

"Clark, I've been so busy with school stuff and this place that I haven't really noticed," she smiled, Clark nodded but felt a little upset. He had hoped that Lana had missed him a little, noticed that he hadn't been there when she needed to talk but there was nothing. She had been too busy for him just as he had been too busy for her. "So, I heard on the grapevine that you and Ashley are getting quite serious. It's been a fortnight now, hasn't it? Is it serious with you two?"

"I take it that the 'grapevine' is Chloe?" asked Clark, his question being answered by Lana's laugh. "I don't know if it's serious yet, Ashley's really nice though. I just can't believe I never knew her before the accident,"

"Has she spoken to you about it?" asked Lana, wiping her hands dry on a tea-towel and grabbing a clean mug from beneath the counter.

"No. Why?"

"I just thought she would've been aching to tell someone what it was like and you'd be the perfect guy. You rescued her, you're like her personal superhero or something," she said, pouring out a cappuccino and handing it to Clark. "I know I'd want to talk to you about it,"

"Do you think I should ask her about it?" asked Clark, suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that he and Ashley were in a relationship. They spent all their time together and they got on better than he ever could have imagined, her painting was pinned to the wall in the barn and he found himself staring at it in the early hours of the morning when he was still too energised to sleep. She really had become his girlfriend.

"I think you should wait for her to come to you," advised Lana. "I've got to get back to work, can I come over tonight? We can catch up properly,"

"Yeah, that sounds great. I'll see you later," he smiled and took his drink to the quietest corner of the café, grabbing a magazine from the rack and sitting in silence. He wasn't alone for long and he didn't have to look up to know who had just joined his table. "Hey Lex,"

"How are you, Clark?" He looked up at his friend, Lex was wearing his best suit and Clark could only assume he had a meeting in Metropolis today, if it was a Smallville meeting, he would have worn one of his many suits from the everyday selection.

"I'm fine. Are you going somewhere?" he asked, closing the magazine and leaning back in his chair.

"I received a summons from my father; he's demanding I sit in on some ridiculous conference in Metropolis. He just wants me out of Smallville for a weekend; he thinks I've become too attached to this town. I just came in to tell Lana I would be out of town for a few days; she mentioned you were here,"

"Did she mention anything else?" Clark smiled; he knew Lex and his powers over Chloe and Lana. Somehow, nothing remained sacred between them, Lex just coaxed out the gossip in seconds.

"Ah yes, your new friend, Miss Robbins," Lex smiled and Clark shook his head. "It's nice to see you moving on rather than fawning over Lana,"

"Thanks Lex," said Clark sarcastically. "Why don't you get out of here?" Lex smiled and stood from the table, leaving the Talon without even saying goodbye. Clark finished his coffee and left the shop, heading over to the school in search of Chloe. There was nowhere else she would be besides the Torch; the new issue was due out on Monday which meant today was the final day she could work on it before printing on Sunday.

Chloe was flitting about the Torch office when Clark arrived, pinning photographs to her wall, dropping papers into the bin as well as her in-tray and occasionally stopping to tap a few words out on the her computer. Clark walked in silently and sat down at the computer, clicking on the minimised file and bringing up the front cover of the new issue. Right there, in full colour, was a picture of Ashley and the headline, "Lightning Girl Wakes from Coma", Clark minimised it again and glared at Chloe who stopped what she was doing and stared back.

"What?" she asked incredulously. "It's school news and it's something people are talking about, they want to know about,"

"Have you even spoken to Ashley about it? You could really hurt her feelings if you run this without asking her first, I thought the two of you were becoming friends," said Clark, stepping away from the computer.

"We are friends, Clark but the Torch is my paper and I don't need Ashley's permission to run a newsworthy story; I thought she'd be pleased,"

"Pleased about what?" asked Ashley as she stepped into the office, Clark smiled at the sight of her and walked over, putting a protective arm around her shoulders but she shrugged him off and walked to Chloe. "What's going on, Chloe? Have you been writing about me?"

"Look, Ashley, it's nothing that we haven't already talked about. I just thought people would be interested in the fact that you're back at school and especially that you're re-sitting the year. I don't know anyone who would even attempt to catch up on six months of school work," babbled Chloe. "I know you might find it a bit much to be front page material but there's nothing negative in the article at all, I promise,"

"I trust you, Chloe. You can print what you want, I know the truth and I guess that's what's important in the end, right?" said Ashley with a smile, Chloe nodded and smiled back. Disaster averted. Ashley turned back to face Clark. "It's supposed to be a beautiful night tonight; do you want to meet up later? I thought we could go for a walk or something,"

"Sorry," said Clark. "I've invited Lana over tonight, we haven't seen each other in a while and I thought it would be nice to catch up," Ashley's smile dropped; Clark was blowing her off for Lana. It was starting already; he was bored with her already.

"It's fine, Clark," she hissed. "It's just perfect, I want to spend some time with you and all you can think about is spending Saturday night with your ex-girlfriend," she spat, tears springing to her eyes before she ran out of the office. Clark was about to follow her when a huge crack of thunder filled the office followed by the brightest flash of lightning he had ever seen. Chloe stopped everything she was doing and raced to the window, rain was pouring down it as if it had been raining for hours. Clark joined her at the window and watched as Ashley ran out into the rain and into her car, he sighed loudly. He didn't mean to upset her so much but he really did want to see Lana, she was one of his best friends, surely Ashley could understand that?

"Clark," started Chloe.

"I know, I know, I need to sort this out. What am I supposed to do? I want to spend time with Ashley but Lana's my friend,"

"No, not that," sighed Chloe. "Have you noticed how weird the weather's been this week? There was that storm a couple of weeks ago when we were forecast sunshine and it's been perfect weather since; where did all this rain come from?"

"What are you getting at, Chloe?" frowned Clark, Chloe shook her head. Clark always was a little slower getting to where her mind was.

"I'm just saying that it's pretty coincidental that since you and Ashley got it together, the weather has been perfect and the second you upset her, we get a thunder storm," explained Chloe as she watched Ashley drive away. Clark looked sceptical. "Okay, think back to that Saturday, it was a perfectly fine morning and then when Ashley got upset and ran off, it started raining again,"

"So, you think the lightning strike did something to her?" asked Clark. "Do you think she has any idea she's controlling the weather?"

"I don't know, Clark but it's definitely weird, right?" Clark nodded and stared out of the window at the torrential downpour outside. He liked Ashley a lot but he couldn't walk on eggshells around her just in case she called up a storm. He sat down at the desk and sighed, he had no idea what he was supposed to do now. "You should go to her, Clark,"

"What can I do? I don't even know what to say," he mumbled.

"Maybe you should talk about the accident, find out if anything stranger than heat lightning in the middle of August happened that day," suggested Chloe. Clark nodded and stood up; he should have known it was too good to be true. Smallville just had that weird effect on people.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Ashley tore her paintings down from the wall and threw them to the floor; photographs of her before the accident lay ripped to pieces and scattered about her room. That girl didn't exist anymore; that happy girl with perfect skin and the tough-girl attitude was gone, replaced by this bitter, scarred cry-baby who she hated. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and lifted her fringe to look at her angry red scar, that one constant reminder of the accident, the one reminder that she was different. Her hands formed fists at the memory of that day and instinctively, she punched the mirror. Shards of mirrored glass flew out across the floor and blood began to seep from the puncture wounds on her knuckles; she watched the oozing red before realising what she had done and rushed to the bathroom. As she washed her hands, she could hear footsteps running up the stairs and hoped she could sound normal when her father asked her what was going on but she was stunned to hear Clark shouting her name.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, opening the bathroom door as she finished wrapping tissue paper around her hand. Clark frowned in concern as he saw the blood begin to seep through the tissue. "Clark, what do you want?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay, your Dad said I could come up," he started, reaching out to take her injured hand but she pulled it away. "I was worried about you; you looked upset at the Torch,"

"Wouldn't you be upset too? I thought we had something special, Clark but I'm nothing to you, you'd rather spend time with Lana than with me," she sniffed, more tears coming to her eyes. "I can't believe I was so stupid to think you loved me,"

"That's not true, Ashley. Lana is just a friend, you don't mind me spending time with Chloe; I don't understand what's wrong. You know how I feel about you," said Clark, stepping forward and giving Ashley the chance to fall into his arms. It was a chance that she took; they stood in the hallway holding each other tightly as Ashley sobbed her heart out. Clark stroked her hair as she cried and started walking her to the open door of her bedroom.

"I made a bit of a mess," she sniffed, a smile breaking through the tears as they walked in. "I've not got the best temper control in the world," Clark laughed and nodded as he made room for them to sit down on the bed.

"Look, Ashley, do you want to talk about anything? You know that I'm here for you if you need me, right?" soothed Clark, his hand resting on her knee as he spoke. She looked up at him expectantly and Clark knew it was the perfect moment, he leaned down and brushed a few wisps of her fringe aside and kissed her softly. Ashley's heart rose up into her throat, she felt so stupid for acting the way she had but Clark hadn't ran away from her, he was still here, he was still kissing her and the world was beginning to make sense again. As Clark broke away and leaned back, he quickly glanced out of the window and sure enough, the rain had stopped and the clouds were beginning to break apart, allowing the tiniest slivers of blue to shine through.

"I dreamt of you," said Ashley finally, looking down at the floor and shifting her feet nervously. "Seven months with nothing but a memory of you picking me up from that field. I think I fell in love with you that day,"

"Do you remember anything else about that day?" asked Clark, looking at her intently as he stroked her hand with his own. She looked out of the window, a frown etched on her face as she tried to remember what had happened.

"There was something weird in the ground; lightning hit right in front of me and it broke up some of those meteor rocks that were in the field but they were glowing and I didn't know what they were. I was going to bring them home for Dad to look at but then I don't really remember much," she smiled.  "Except you," Clark squeezed her hand and kissed her again, it was instinctual. He just wanted to kiss her all the time, he couldn't bear being alone with her and not be touching her in some way. He only hoped that she could understand that despite his feelings for her, he still had to make time to see his friends and that meant making time for Lana.

"Ashley, I don't want you to get upset but I really _do_ have to see Lana tonight," Ashley flinched at Lana's name but remained still while Clark spoke. "But, I want to invite you over for dinner tomorrow, you can meet my parents and we can have the whole day to ourselves. Is that okay?"

"I guess so," sighed Ashley, running her fingers through her fringe, her version of a nervous tic; her constant obsession with hiding the truth from the waking world. "But, do you really have to go yet?" She looked up at him and smiled, her eyes searching his for something but not knowing what, he leaned down and kissed her again. This was what was important to her now, every dream she could remember from her never-ending sleep were finally coming true. Clark was hers. She could put up with Clark's friendship with Lana if she had to; after all, Clark was _her_ boyfriend now.

"Kent Farm,"

Clark picked up the ringing telephone with his usual introduction and wondered where his parents were. Martha was usually in the kitchen when the phone rang but not this evening, he could only assume they were taking a walk around the farm while the weather held up. He thought about Ashley and wondered just how long the weather would remain stable.

"I take it from this beautiful evening that you smoothed things over with our Miss Robbins?" said Chloe, Clark smiled; he should've known it would be her.

"We talked, she's okay with Lana now," explained Clark. "She didn't seem to realise she was changing the weather but she mentioned picking up some meteor rock before she got hit,"

"What in this town is not related to those rocks?" said Chloe. "Well, at least she's calm for now. Are you going to try and talk to her about it?"

"What am I supposed to say, Chloe? It's not like I can slip it into conversation over coffee or anything," he sighed in frustration. "I'll sort something out; she's coming over for dinner tomorrow,"

"Meeting the parents after a fortnight? You do move fast, Clark," teased Chloe, Clark gave a fake laugh and hung up on her. It wasn't _that_ kind of dinner, he just thought it would be nice for Ashley to come over and meet his parents; he wondered if she was under the impression it was_ that_ kind of dinner. He sighed as he realised he had no idea what he was doing, his feelings and emotions for Ashley were spiralling out of control and he didn't really know how he felt about her, what he wanted from her. He sat at the table and reached for an apple, rolling it around underneath his hand as he thought about his relationship with Ashley.

"Penny for your thoughts," said Lana as she closed the screen door behind her, Clark looked up and smiled. "Your parents are walking around out there like teenagers in love, it's sweet,"

"I wondered where they'd disappeared to, it's a nice night for a walk," he said. Lana nodded and sat down opposite him at the table. "So, how are you, Lana? I feel like I haven't seen you in months,"

"I'm fine; I finally managed to get all those essays out of the way. I never realised how working at the Talon affected my schoolwork before; I've seriously had to cut back on my shifts there. I think Liz was thankful of the extra money," she said. "What about you, Clark? You've been a little caught up lately, how are things with Ashley?"

"I don't know, to be honest. A little strained at the moment but otherwise good," he started, looking up at Lana who was watching him intently. "She's so perfect for me but sometimes I wonder if she's really okay or if she's just pretending for my sake,"

"What do you mean?" asked Lana, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"Well, she only started talking about the accident today but all she could talk about was me saving her. I only took her to the hospital, Lana. It wasn't like I saved her life or anything," Clark sighed and put the apple back into the fruit bowl, wiping his hands down on his jeans.

"Sometimes, people take a little while to open up. It's good that you guys are talking though; it shows that she trusts you. I mean, she trusts you enough to just hand all of her feelings over. She's brave," smiled Lana, wishing she had been able to be that honest with Clark when they were together. Maybe things would be different if she had, maybe things would be very different.

"I think I might be falling for her," admitted Clark, flushing slightly at his admission. He never thought Lana would be the one he would say those words to. "I mean… I just… I mean, I think she's one of the greatest girls I've met in a long time,"

"That's great, Clark," said Lana, swallowing hard. She hoped she didn't look too upset; she wanted to be there for her friend. Besides, her and Clark were over now, there was no point living in the past. It was a good thing that Clark was moving on; she could do the same if she needed to.

"I'm sorry, Lana. I didn't mean to say it like that," he smiled. "I know this is weird, we didn't speak for so long but now, I just feel like I want to tell you what's going on in my life,"

"You don't need to apologise, I'm honoured that you want to confide in me,"

Clark smiled and they continued to talk for what seemed like hours; Martha and Jonathon returned from their walk and headed up the staircase to bed. Lana told Clark all about her struggle with homework and her waning passion for her scholastic activities lately; she spoke of meetings with Lex and how much she enjoyed being a part of his world at those meetings. Clark felt a twinge of jealousy at the way she spoke about Lex but he knew that it was only a residual protectiveness for Lana; she could do a lot worse than Lex Luthor in his mind. Finally, Lana stood from the table and said goodbye to Clark, he walked her to the door and gave her a brief hug before watching her walk along the dusty road back towards her house.

"Any room at the inn?" asked a voice from the shadows. Clark spun around in shock and came face to face with Ashley. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just wandered over and saw you saying goodbye to Lana. Did you have a good night with her?"

"Yeah," said Clark, immediately outstretching his arms to encase Ashley. "We caught up properly, it was good. What did you mean, any room at the inn?" Ashley looked up at him and grinned mischievously, kissing him hard on the lips and letting her hands rove across his chest and down his abdomen, her fingers feeling the grooves of each muscle.

"I mean, are you really going to make me walk all the way home or can I stay here tonight?" she smiled. Clark looked back over his shoulder to the staircase his parents had ascended a few hours before, they would be asleep by now surely. He smiled at Ashley and ushered her inside, locking the door behind them.

A/N – Yeah… things have been a little too hunky-dory lately and so as of Chapter 6, things are _not_ well in Smallville… Hope you keep reading! :D


	7. Chapter Six

A/N - Yeah... I promised things would be a little riled up in this chapter but it kinda got away from me. I'm sorry!! g Hope you like it anyway, and I endeavour to bring you a little more angst soon... hug

Chapter Six

Clark blearily opened his eyes to the piercing sunlight streaming through the small gap in his curtains. He had forgotten to close them properly in all the excitement of the night before; smiling to himself he looked down at the sleeping body in his arms. Ashley was curled up into the side of his body, she fit there as if she had been missing from him all along; he watched her body rise and fall with every soft, shallow breath. She seemed so small and helpless just lying there and he stroked her hair gently until she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him, smiling broadly. She never thought in a million years that she would ever wake up in Clark Kent's arms; she kissed his shoulder tenderly and yawned. He smiled down at her, not really knowing what to say but knowing that it didn't really matter.

"How am I gonna get out of here without your parents seeing?" asked Ashley, Clark laughed a little and looked at his bedroom door. Nobody had been knocking on it and forcing him out of bed yet so he assumed they still had time; he glanced at the clock on his bedside table. A little after six o'clock; he wondered how much sleep they had actually got last night. "Shall I climb out of the window like in a bad teen movie?"

"No, we've got time but you need to go now," he whispered, she nodded and slipped out of his bed. His eyes were fixed on her naked body; she felt brazen and was shocked at how much she enjoyed that feeling; she smiled to herself as she pulled on her skirt and t-shirt quickly. Clark had quickly pulled on a t-shirt and his boxer shorts and was now checking the hallway for any sign of life. He grabbed her hand and silently, they ran down the staircase together before he quickly kissed her at the front door and she ran across the field. He watched as she disappeared amidst the green and laughed quietly to himself, closing the door behind him as he stepped into the kitchen.

"What were you looking at?" asked Jonathon as he walked down the stairs in his dressing gown. Clark jumped at the intrusion but soon calmed down, hoping his father wouldn't see through his lies immediately.

"I thought I heard something out in the yard," he said as he filled the kettle with water. "There wasn't anything there though," Jonathon nodded and grabbed the coffee from the cupboard, Clark breathed a sigh of relief and the Kents went about their traditional Sunday morning rituals.

Clark didn't say a word throughout his morning chores and he was so pre-occupied that everything was finished by mid-day. He had time for a quick shower before Ashley arrived to join them for Sunday lunch; he smiled at the memory of last night and wondered if he would ever think about it without smiling. As he washed off the dirt and grime of the farm, he hoped his parents liked Ashley and that his mother would finally stop harping on at him about Chloe. Chloe. Thinking of her reminded him of Ashley's powers; he really had to bring himself to talk to her about them at some point. He would have to confront her today, after lunch, maybe she had no idea what she was doing. The weather was directly connected to her emotions and judging from the sunshine of the morning, Ashley was still on a high from the night before. Clark grinned to himself again at the thought of it. They were both on a high from the night before.

He practically jumped down the staircase at the sound of knocking and sure enough, Ashley was stood there looking stunning as ever. He didn't think he would ever be so pleased to see anyone before, he ushered her inside and closed the door behind them, leading her into the kitchen so he could introduce her to his parents. She shook both their hands politely and smiled as Clark introduced her.

"Nice to meet you, Ashley," smiled Martha, wiping her hands down on her apron before accepting Ashley's outstretched hand. "Clark has told us so much about you lately,"

"All good things I hope," she smiled and Martha nodded with a grin before returning to the stove. Jonathon was as cool and casual as Clark had warned her he would be and after the introductions were made, Clark announced they were heading up to the barn until lunch was ready. They ran up to the loft like two teenagers in love and Ashley supposed that was exactly what they were; she felt like she was living in a musical. The sun was shining, she had a boyfriend who she loved more than anything and so long after her nightmares had started, they were now dissipating into the warm afternoon air.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," said Clark, sitting Ashley down on the old red sofa while he sat opposite on the edge of the coffee table. "Have you noticed anything weird around here lately?"

"We live in Smallville, this whole place is weird. What are you talking about?"

"Well, it's just that Chloe and I have noticed the weather acting a little haywire lately and somehow, it seems to be reflecting your moods," babbled Clark, knowing that he sounded like a raving lunatic. "I know it sounds crazy but we think it's something to do with the accident and those glowing rocks you found,"

"So you and Chloe think the weather is connected to me? How did you come to that conclusion?" laughed Ashley. "I think you've finally lost it, Clark," She stopped laughing though when she saw the look on Clark's face, the seriousness etched on his brow.

"Okay, think about yesterday when you were upset about Lana at the Torch; it started raining as soon as you started to cry. It just came out of nowhere and today, you're happy and the sun is shining. The weather forecast has been off for weeks and the meteorologists have no idea why but I think it's you," said Clark, Ashley frowned, her eyes filled with doubt and confusion as she looked out of the open window. "It doesn't mean anything; you've just become one of the Smallville elite,"

"God, Chloe's going to put me on the wall, isn't she?" she sighed; Clark shook his head and smiled, squeezing her knee gently. They sat silently for a while, Clark's comforting hand stroking Ashley's leg continuously. "How does it feel to be dating a freak who controls the weather with her temper?"

"Shut up," said Clark, shoving her gently. "You're not a freak, you're just special," Ashley pulled a face of mock disgust and pretended to throw up, Clark's eyes widened and he slapped her lightly across the thigh. She laughed out loud and pulled him from the table to the sofa; Ashley threw her arms around him and kissed him fully on the mouth. He kissed her back, still a little off-kilter by her reaction to the news, he had somehow pictured a freak hurricane as her emotions spiralled out of control, but he soon forgot about it. He wanted to devour her as memories from the night before flooded his mind, if they hadn't been interrupted, he wasn't sure if he would be able to stop touching her.

"Clark, lunch is ready," called Martha from the open barn door. He sighed heavily and jumped from the sofa, holding out his hand for Ashley to join him and together, they walked across the yard and into the kitchen.

The four of them sat and ate their lunch together, Martha and Ashley making polite conversation about cooking and Ashley's parents while Jonathon and Clark discussed the farm and the work that needed to be done. Every so often, Clark would reach his foot out under the table and touch Ashley's, she would smile and continue talking, not even turning to look at him. Ashley had never felt so comfortable, so accepted. The Kents reminded her of her own parents, kind and generous and unquestioning. They were nearing the end of their meal when Martha finally brought up the subject Clark had hoped she would avoid.

"So, are things getting back to normal for you?" she smiled, pouring coffee out for everyone. "Clark tells me that you've been trying to catch up on all the school you missed while you were in hospital,"

"It's harder than I thought it would be but I'm getting there," said Ashley, smiling across at Clark. "Clark's been helping me out so much too, he'd make a great teacher one day," Clark grinned at her, she looked so beautiful today, almost radiant. He was overwhelmed by just how much he felt for her, it felt too early to be falling for her but there was something about her that screamed out to him. He wondered if it was obvious to his parents, if they approved of her as much as they did of Lana or Chloe. Lana. He hadn't thought of Lana as the great love of his life in a long time but he knew, deep down, he would always love her in some way. She meant so much to him; he couldn't ignore that fact now that he had a girlfriend. He didn't want to ignore that fact, his feelings for Lana were a constant and he relied on them. He needed them. He just had to make sure that if he and Ashley were going to last, that she understood how important Lana was to him.


	8. Chapter Seven

A/N – I've changed the rating of this fic thanks to a comment from _JanAlex_; and in response to her other comment; I allowed Clark and Ashley to consummate their relationship because (from experience) it was a realistic time in their relationship to do so and it just felt right. Thank you so much for your kind comments on the characters and I agree, there is more to their relationship than sex but sex is an important part of a teenage/adult relationship and I felt it was the right time to handle that subject. Thanks again.

Chapter Seven

Clark sat in Chloe's chair in front of the computer, reading through the front page of the Torch and smiling to himself. Chloe had outdone herself this time, he had been worried that her thirst for journalism would ensure she would omit the truth and the article would be filled with half-truths and dodgy sources but it wasn't. It was perfect. He folded it up and placed it in her in-tray; she was late again. For some reason, Chloe was always late on the day the new issue came out; it was as if she was nervous about people reading her work which was ridiculous considering her character. He glanced across at the 'Wall of Weird', still no sign of Ashley's new-found meteorological influence but he was sure Chloe had plans of some sort.

"Has she read it yet?" asked Chloe as she walked into the office, throwing her bag and denim jacket on the old sofa. "What did she say?"

"I haven't seen her to ask her," said Clark. "I read it though, I thought it was fantastic. It might be your best work yet," Chloe smiled broadly and picked up the folded copy from her in-tray, flicking it out and perusing the front page.

"You're biased; vested interest in the party in question," she laughed. "I thought she'd have been in here with you; it's weird to see you alone for once,"

"We spent the entire weekend together," explained Clark, Chloe nodded as she continued to read the school newspaper. "She stayed over on Saturday night," She looked up at him and seeing the smile on his face, dropped the paper to the floor and moved closer. Clark didn't need to be asked, he was dying to tell someone and Chloe was the first to appear. "We had to sneak her out on Sunday morning in case Mom and Dad found her there. We had so much fun, Chloe. It was amazing,"

"My God," sighed Chloe. "Clark Kent, you are now a man," They both burst out laughing but stopped when Ashley came running through the office doors and threw her arms around Chloe who was speechless.

"Er… Ashley, I'm over here," smiled Clark but Ashley just stuck her tongue out at him and let a shell-shocked Chloe go.

"The story is amazing, thank you so much," she beamed. "I didn't know what you were going to say or anything but it was so, I don't know, it was just perfect. Did you read it, Clark? Isn't it just perfect?" Clark laughed softly and nodded, Ashley had never looked so happy. "I've got to see Miss Harper before class but I'll catch up with you both later. Thanks again, Chloe," Ashley rushed over and planted a kiss on Clark's cheek before running out of the office again.

"Did you talk to her about the whole weather thing?" asked Chloe, her eyes still fixed on the office door.

"Yeah, she took it quite well," said Clark, Chloe nodded in agreement.

Clark carried in the majority of the shopping bags from the back of the truck and with his super-speed, started to put everything away while Martha picked up the new issue of the Torch and sat down to read it at the dinner table. Clark finished putting the groceries away and sat down opposite her, she glanced at him over the top of the paper with a smile.

"You're acting very strangely, Clark," she said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Did you like her, Mom?" he asked, Martha put the newspaper down on the table and looked at her son.

"She was a very pleasant girl but I can't help feeling you've rushed into this relationship. A week before you started seeing her, you were still talking about Lana as if you'd never get over her and now, here you are with a new girlfriend," she sighed. "I don't want to be all 'Mom-like' about it but you asked me,"

"I know what you mean, Mom," he said with a sigh. "I do sometimes think about Lana but it's over and she made that perfectly clear when I tried to patch things up between us. I really like Ashley; I think she's right for me,"

"That's great, honey. As long as you are with her for those reasons and not because you miss having a girl in your life," Martha stood up and moved into the kitchen to fill the kettle. "Thanks for helping with the groceries," She looked up at Clark but there was nobody there.

Clark thought about everything his mother had said; he had been so busy thinking about how he felt about Ashley that he had completely forgotten his real feelings for Lana. He just wanted to see her, to talk to her and find out if anything was there. If he could talk to her without wanting to hold her in his arms then he would know that things with Ashley were meant to be. He reached the house in no time and knocked loudly on the door, it took a while for her to open but finally, Lana stood before him with a frown.

"Hey Clark, are you okay?" she asked, moving aside to let him come in. He nodded silently as he walked inside, unsure of what he was supposed to say to her. He sat down on the sofa and waited for Lana to join him. "What's wrong? Has something happened?" She sat down next to him and smoothed down her jeans.

"No, everything's fine. I just wanted to see you," he explained, she sighed with relief and nodded. "How's all the school stuff going, any better?"

"Yeah but I don't really want to talk about it. It's too depressing as it is, I don't want to drag you down with me," she smiled. "Tell me what you've been up to. I read the Torch today; Chloe's article was very interesting. I think I learned more about Ashley from that than I ever would from talking to her,"

"She's just a little shy," Clark immediately leapt to Ashley's defence. "I'm sure she'll open up once you get to know her a little better," Lana looked slightly uncomfortable but nodded anyway. "You do want to get to know her, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Clark. I mean, she's going to be with us a lot more now that you two are serious so… Yes, I want to get to know her better," she nodded; Clark smiled and leaned back into the sofa, sighing heavily. This was harder than he thought; he just wanted to ask Lana how she felt about him. The truth. But it was the one thing that they kept hidden from each other, he had lied about his feelings for her for so long that it was only fair for her to have her turn.

"I'm worried about things though," he said finally. "I mean, I really like her and everything but I can't help feeling there's something missing. Like maybe she's holding something back from me and I don't know what it is,"

"What makes you think that?" asked Lana, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"I don't know. I just don't know what I'm feeling anymore, I had a chat with Mom and now I'm all over the place," explained Clark, looking across at Lana. She looked up at him and smiled, remaining silent as he moved closer to her and pressed his lips against hers gently. He broke away within seconds.

"Clark, I…" she started, her hand touching her lips.

"I'm sorry, Lana. I shouldn't have done that," he sighed, standing up from the sofa. "I don't know what I'm even doing here," He walked towards the door and Lana jumped up to follow him, opening the door for him. "I never should have come over,"

"Clark, you know I'm always here for you, no matter what," she smiled and stood on tip-toes, kissing him tenderly on the cheek. They stood looking deep into each other's eyes for a moment when suddenly, the skies turned dark and the heaviest rain Smallville had ever known began to pour down upon them. They both rushed back into the doorway and looked out at the scene before them, the streets were almost flooded already; the rain had come from nowhere, so unexpected that people in their summer clothes rushed into doorways and alleys. Clark looked around with a questioning frown but couldn't see anything. "What's going on?"

"Ashley," said Clark and raced out into the torrential downpour leaving Lana to watch in bewilderment as he left her standing there.


	9. Chapter Eight

A/N – A **huge** thanks to Hippie-Killer for her support while I've been away – feel free to bug me any time you like, darling!! I don't think I've ever excited someone so much with one fic! Actually, huge thanks to everyone who's been reading, especially those who keep coming back for every chapter… Huge hugs for you all!!

Chapter Eight

Clark reached the Robbins farm within seconds once he was certain there was nobody around to see him accelerate. The lights were all out, he knocked loudly on the front door but there was no answer from within. He pushed it lightly and it swung open easily, he called Ashley's name but there was no reply at all. He stepped inside and switched the lights on, walking slowly through each room and then running up to Ashley's bedroom. It was empty, her paintings were still screwed up on the floor and shards of mirror were caught in the fabric of her carpet. Clark turned around and ran back down the stairs and into the yard; the torrential rain had slowed down but was becoming harder and heavier until Clark realised the rain had become hailstones within a matter of seconds. He didn't know where to turn; the only other person who would know what was going on was Chloe and so he headed across town and towards the school. Leaving a trail of water behind him, he ran into the Torch office to find Chloe hunched over the computer.

"Clark," she said as she looked up, standing up from her chair and pulling him towards her. She pushed him down into the chair she was just occupying and pointed at the screen. "Look at this, I got the picture from one of the weather satellites; that swirl is a huge storm and it's sitting right over Smallville. It appeared from nowhere, the meteorologists are stumped. They don't know how to explain it," Clark stared at the growing swirl that was moving over Smallville on the map on-screen.

"I've already checked her house, she wasn't there,"

"What did you say to her to set her off?" asked Chloe, closing the windows against the strengthening winds and sudden chill.

"Nothing, I wasn't even with her. I was at Lana's," he sighed, Chloe looked over at him. "You don't think she followed me there or something?"

"Clark, Ashley is infatuated with you. I don't think I would be surprised by anything that girl did to be near you and she clearly has problems with your friendship with Lana," Clark's face was a blank until suddenly, a wave of memory washed over him. "What is it?"

"Saturday night, I thought she'd just come over but she showed up just as Lana was leaving, it was like she knew or something," he sighed; Chloe sat down on the sofa and sighed deeply. "She must have been waiting for Lana to leave. Oh God, Chloe, I was telling Lana about everything tonight,"

"What did you say? What did you actually say that could've upset her?" asked Chloe, the seriousness of the situation etched into every one of her words.

"I told Lana that I felt like Ashley was keeping something from me and then…" Clark drifted off mid-sentence but a quick glare from Chloe brought him back to life. "Then I kissed her," Chloe's face fell immediately.

"Clark, I cannot believe you. You tell Ashley that you love her, you sleep with her and then you're back in Lana's arms a day later. What is wrong with you?"

"But I didn't even mean it," he sighed, putting a hand to his head in disbelief that this was actually happening. "It was a stupid mistake and Lana knows that, I'm crazy about Ashley. You know how I feel about her, I was just confused, I just wanted to be sure," Chloe stood up and patted Clark on the back, ignoring how wet his clothes were.

"It doesn't matter now, you need to find her and explain yourself to her, she needs to know that it was a mistake or her temper could kill us all," said Chloe, Clark smiled up at her. Only Chloe could make the little things sounds like the end of the world. "Where else would she go? Did you two have a special place or anything? Would she be at the barn?" Clark nodded and ran from the office, she ran to the door after him but he was already gone. She looked around in confusion and sighed, closing the office door behind her, she wasn't going anywhere tonight.

Clark raced back across to the Robbins Farm but there was still no sign of life, he rushed past the buildings and out across the fields. By the time he reached Ashley's secret garden, he was frantic with concern for her. He thought back to three days before when Ashley had laid in his arms right here and was racked with guilt, how could he have kissed Lana knowing how much it would hurt Ashley? If he was having difficulty sorting through his emotions, he should've been honest with her instead of cheating on her. Her berated himself for being so selfish but now he had to find Ashley and talk to her, make her understand that he was confused but now, all he wanted was her. Chloe had mentioned the barn and although he was unsure whether Ashley would go there, it was the only place left to look.

The house was quiet when he arrived and his first instinct was to check in on his parents; they were quietly reading in the living room to his relief and he quickly asked if they had seen Ashley before racing up to the loft of the barn. She wasn't there either; he didn't know where else to look and he was becoming more and more sick with worry. The hailstones had slowed down and were becoming more like rain again so Clark could only assume that she had calmed down slightly. He collapsed onto the sofa and pressed his hands to his head, wishing he could just reach out and find her there. He wished he could turn back time, stop himself from ever hurting her like this, stop himself from ever reaching that position. He felt guilty over Ashley and guilty over Lana.

Lana.

The thought hit him like a mach truck; Ashley would have gone to Lana. She would never have blamed Clark for what happened; she would have blamed Lana immediately. He leapt down the barn staircase and rushed back to Lana's house, banging on the door and frowning when there was no reply. He gently pushed on the door and it swung open with ease; Lana always kept it shut tight, especially in bad weather. He stepped inside, half expecting to find both of them sitting together on the sofa waiting for him but there was nobody there. There was nothing, Lana was gone and her surface belongings were strewn about the floor. Ashley must have been here and she had obviously had one of her manic fits of temper. Clark felt lost; he didn't know where to look next. He had no idea how to get out of this mess he had created for himself. He thought back to conversations he'd had with Ashley, pondered every word she had ever said about Lana but there was nothing that could tell him where she was or what she wanted with Lana.

Ashley had felt threatened by Lana, she had told Clark one night how she felt ugly in comparison and Clark had shaken off her insecurities and showered her with kisses to make her feel beautiful but it wasn't enough and she had remained quiet for the rest of the night. A new thought came to him; what if she had planned to make Lana as ugly as she felt? What if she had planned to put Lana through everything she had gone through? She would have taken her out to the field where Clark had first set eyes on her and with the weather the way it was, how long would it be before Ashley called down the lightning that had hurt her so much seven months before only this time, Lana would be its victim.


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

He could barely see Ashley from the road but the subtle movement in the darkness of the field advertised her presence. He slowed down to a regular running speed and jogged towards her, hoping that it wasn't too late to stop her from whatever plan she was acting out. Ashley stood beneath an old rusted awning and glared at Clark as he approached, tears and rain mingled freely on her face as she struggled to retain her composure. Lana's unconscious body was crumpled at her feet, her clothes soaked through and hugging her like a second skin. Clark felt his heart scream at the sight of her, Lana was usually the one to fight back but now, she was helpless. The wind began to pick up again, swaying the awning and blowing through Clark's clothes; through Ashley's hair.

"What have you done to her, Ashley?" shouted Clark into the wind, looking down at Lana's inert form, he tried to move closer but the wild look in Ashley's eyes warned him back.

"I can't do this anymore, Clark," she shouted back at him. "I thought you might fall in love with me but how could you when _she_ was still here," Ashley kicked Lana's prone body softly as if to emphasise her point. "You're still in love with her; I was so stupid to think that you were over her,"

"Ashley, Lana is not the reason for this. I'm sorry that I hurt you but I was confused, I know that I want to be with you," he said, not really knowing if it was the full truth but knowing that it was what Ashley needed to hear. "Let her go and we can go home, just the two of us. We can talk it over properly, okay? It can be just like before," Ashley stared at him, the disbelief evident in her eyes as she laughed at him. It was never going to be "just like before", she had watched him kiss another girl, Ashley had to be strong and look to the future now. With Lana gone, Clark could give himself to her entirely, no more worries about that tiny piece of him that would always love her.

"You have to make the choice, Clark," she shouted. The rain was getting worse, Clark could barely see; the wind ripped the leaves from the trees with cruel fingers and soon, Clark felt the bitter slap of hailstones. "You have to decide who you want to be with now. Is it me or is it her?" He stepped forward and she flinched slightly. She could barely feel the cold anymore, her skin was soaked through and she had become numb. She was numb. She felt nothing, she was empty of anything. "Don't come any closer, she's fine,"

"Ashley…" started Clark but she ignored him, she looked down at Lana and then up at the sky. A deafening grumble of thunder sounded before a huge fork of lightning came down in-between them; she looked at Clark and smiled. A hint of menace in her eyes; she held her arms out and looked up again. Another lightning bolt ignited the awning behind her. "Stop it,"

"Are you impressed, Clark? I can do it on my own now, it's not about my emotions anymore, it's about my power," she shouted. "I want you to make a choice, Clark. You have to; it's me or her,"

Clark sighed, he couldn't make the choice. Lana was his best friend, he had a multitude of feelings for her and knew that he would always love her but Ashley was something else. His feelings for her had been so strong and sudden, it had surprised him and he knew that she was special. His whole body felt heavy with the sadness of what was happening to him; he knew that he would never be able to calm Ashley down now and he had to make a decision. He rushed forward before Ashley even had time to blink, by the time she looked up at him; he was stood before her with Lana in his arms. Her face fell, her maniacal eyes searching his for some meaning, some kind of answer, begging him to let this be a mistake. She let out a scream so filled with pain and anguish that Clark flinched, he wished he knew what he could do for her but it was obviously too late and she was too far gone. He placed Lana down on the ground softly and stood back up to face Ashley, he held his hand out to her.

"Ashley, I love you and I want you to come back with me," he said truthfully. Her face was stricken with grief and she could barely raise her eyes to look at him, she was devastated. The wind was beginning to circle above her, drawing in leaves and branches as it spun; the rain and hail had added snow to its fury and it was bearing down on Ashley. Lightning flashed, lighting up the sky with an eerie white glow. "Please stop it. You don't need to do this anymore, Ashley," She looked up at him sadly, she no longer looked wild and angry, she looked like the soaking wet, scared girl he had found in his barn three weeks before.

"I love you," she whispered, Clark rushed forward but was struck by the lightning Ashley had brought down. She grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed it tightly before she fell suddenly to the ground; the storm was dying away with her every laboured breath. Clark kneeled down beside her, still holding on to her hand, she was moaning softly in pain and Clark was immediately transported to the first time he had ever laid eyes on her. He couldn't believe it had come to this, he never thought that Ashley would go this far. She was certainly troubled but he never imagined that she could let go so vastly, that she could lose control like this. Or maybe he had always hoped that he could save her, like he saved everyone else.

"Ashley," he sighed, stroking a hand down her face. She blearily opened her eyes and looked up at him, she was still crying although he was certain half of those tears were from the pain alone. "I do love you, you know," Her voice croaked into a sob and Clark wondered if she would ever stop crying, he leaned down and brought her up into his arms. Her body was racked with angry, frightened tears as she held onto him, letting him kiss her burned skin. She should have died seven months ago, she truly believed that and now she wished she could die, just let it all be over.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her eyes widening as the pain shot through her nervous system. Clark lay her back down on the wet ground, still holding tight to her hand as she winced slightly, looking up at him. "Clark?" she whispered, her laboured breathing rattling loudly in her lungs as she closed her eyes. Clark looked down at her prone body wondering if she would ever wake up, his heart heavy and not knowing what he was supposed to do now. After everything he had been through in Smallville, he had never felt so hopeless. In the end, he wasn't fighting some crazed madman or a genetically mutated freak hell-bent on revenge, Ashley had been his girlfriend. And now she was lost to him; he never even had the chance to save her.

"Clark?" murmured Lana from behind him, he spun around and helped her to sit up. "What happened?" Clark looked behind him at Ashley's seemingly lifeless body, allowing a tear to run down his cheek before wiping it away. "Oh God,"

"We need to get you both to a hospital," he sniffed. "What did she do to you?" Lana shook her head, she hadn't even heard Clark speaking to her, she was still staring at Ashley.

"I'm so sorry, Clark. God, I'm so sorry," Lana's head fell as she began to cry, Clark put a comforting arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his chest and they sat in silence; neither having anything left to say.


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

_Two months later…_

Clark stood in the hallway, staring at the photograph of Ashley still displayed on the wall. Chloe had arranged a little tribute to her for the school and the corridor was littered with flowers and cards; Clark had no idea who any of them were from. He was sure Ashley wouldn't either. His own flower, a single rose clipped from her secret garden, was still pinned to the wall, its petals wilting with age and the central heating of the school. He sighed softly and walked into the Torch office, throwing his backpack onto the sofa and walking across to the Wall of Weird; there was still no sign of Ashley there. Clark had kept his promise to her; she would never appear up on that wall. He turned and grabbed the scraps of paper from Chloe's in-tray, looking through them to decide which story he would take. He didn't even look up when she walked into the office; he hadn't even heard her footsteps.

"Hey Clark," she smiled. "Usurping the best stories already, huh?" Clark smiled half-heartedly and nodded. "There's not much going on at the moment, it's like we've entered the Twilight Zone. Is it wrong that when Smallville is normal, it feels totally erroneous?"

"I know what you mean," he laughed softly and Chloe felt a little lifted. It was nice to see Clark laughing again; he had been so despondent lately and it had been affecting everyone in the inner circle. Even Pete had found it difficult to make a joke or lift the mood, something he usually prided himself on. "How's Lana doing?"

Chloe sighed; Clark had been avoiding her since Ashley's father had made the decision to switch off the life support machine. He hadn't been to the Talon or to the house; he hadn't even spoken to her when they inevitably passed each other in the school corridors. She didn't know how long Clark could keep up these games of avoidance but she knew that Lana was deeply upset about it. Both of them were feeling responsible for Ashley's death yet neither of them were talking about it. Lana had tried to get Chloe to run interference, ferrying messages back and forth between them but enough was enough. She needed to get them together, she needed Clark to snap out of his haze and rejoin the rest of the world. She wasn't used to _this_ Clark and it broke her heart every single second she was with him.

"She's dealing, I guess," shrugged Chloe. "She misses you, Clark. We all do, can't you just come to the Talon with us tonight? I'm sure Lana would be glad to see you," Clark put the papers back into the in-tray and stared at the floor, scuffing his shoes. Chloe hated seeing him like this, this sullen teenager was not her best friend, she only wished she could bring Clark Kent back into the world of civilisation and stop him moping around the barn, not speaking to anyone about anything, staring up at that painted picture and wishing things could be different.

"I guess I could come with you," he muttered under his breath, Chloe looked across at him and smiled broadly. He returned the smile and she walked across the room to him, standing up on her tip-toes and snaking her arms around his neck and shoulders. He accepted her hug and fell exhaustedly into her arms; it was the first time since the storm that he had allowed anyone close enough to comfort him. Even his parents had expressed their concern at Clark's seeming indifference to everything that was happening to him. Chloe felt awkward and twisted out of shape but it didn't matter because Clark needed her and that was always going to come before anything else on this earth. "I miss her," he whispered into Chloe's neck and she held him closer. She didn't want to let him go, she wanted him to let out every emotion that he had onto her right now. Expel them from his system and become the old Clark, the Clark with the beaming smile and the happy soul. When he finally moved away from her, his eyes were shining with tears not yet shed and Chloe hoped that somehow, she had been enough. That somehow, a simple hug from a friend would help him.

"I miss her too but sometimes, things like this happen," she sighed, reaching up and touching his cheek. "And they always happen to the good guys, it's the way of the world. It sucks and it's hard but sometimes, you've just got to deal with it and then we move on," Clark nodded and breathed in deeply, moving away from Chloe and picking up his abandoned backpack.

"Thanks, Chloe. I'll catch up with you at lunch," he said without turning around before leaving Chloe alone in the office. She sat down at her computer and sighed heavily, looking around the room for nothing in particular. She didn't know what to do with herself, if she could, she would have ran out after him. Grabbed his hand and pulled him to her car, driven them both away for the day, got him away from Smallville, away from the memories of Ashley. That is what friends did for each other, they made sacrifices and they helped as much as they could. She stared blankly out of the window at the sky outside; it was an average day; light blue skies hidden behind cotton wool clouds. No perfect sunshine, no torrential storm, just a normal day.

Suddenly, Chloe jumped up from her seat and grabbed her bag, running down the corridor after Clark. There was no reason that she couldn't get him out of here, no reason at all. She would drag him kicking and screaming into the car if she needed to, they were skipping school today and they were getting away from it all. He needed the distraction, he needed someone to break the spell, nobody had dared to stop him mooning over Ashley and feeling guilty for everything that had happened. It was her job now.

"Clark," she shouted, a little louder than she had intended and everyone stared at her, bemused expressions on every face. Clark stopped and turned to face her, waiting for her to run to him and frowning questioningly. "Screw class, we're getting out of here," She grabbed his hand and walked him towards the door; he followed willingly and even climbed into the passenger seat of her tiny car without a word. She turned the key to start the engine and they pulled out of the school car-park.

"Where are we going?" he asked, pulling on his seatbelt and looking out across the horizon.

"Does it matter?" she asked.

"No," he said honestly and Chloe drove away from Smallville High without looking back.

THE END


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